Are they by any chance related?

Someone yet again today mistook Paul Smith, Labour's candidate for Bristol West, for Stephen Williams, the current MP. 'Stephen' (aka Paul) and I were shepherded towards a TV camera at the Gaza rally with the words 'the two MPs, Kerry McCarthy and Stephen Williams' are here. (And no, Paul didn't do the interview.)

This happens a lot. Probably to Paul's disadvantage as when he's 'putting himself about' at community events while Stephen is stuck in Westminster there must be many people who are giving their MP credit for putting in a guest appearance.

Blogging about furniture

Paul Smith, who has a proper job as well as being the Labour candidate for Bristol West, has just emailed me to say he's started a work-related blog. Not sure how much one can find to say about reusing furniture, but here it is, check it out: http://furniturereusenetwork.wordpress.com.

Feet First

I'm sure I could have come up with a better title, given time... Anyway, First Bus are making 'eco'-boots out of their old seat covers and tyres. "They are a must have for the fashion conscious environmentalist", says the MD of First. So there you go, Glenn. £70 and they're yours. I liked this comment: "The perfect excuse for when you turn up late for work, blame the shoes!!!!"

Shame they've got leather in them, although it is from "re-purposed chequebook wallets from a high street bank". Re-purposed is a new one on me. Paul, you're the expert - explain the difference between recycled, re-used and re-purposed please. (Paul is, I assume, on his way to the Furniture Re-use Network's Conference in Cheshire at the moment so we might have to wait a few days for a response).

Given the economic downturn, I wonder if Smythson's luxury lizard skin credit card holders will be "re-purposed" for the ultra-exclusive, deluxe limited editions?

Handsome devil

Just logged onto Facebook for the first time in ages. Paul Smith (Labour candidate for Bristol West) has changed his photo. Put that on the campaign posters and Stephen Williams will be history. Paul has a degree in astrophysics. I now see why.

Wombling free

One of the advantages of recess is that it's actually possible to plan my diary in a sensible way. Usually my days in the constituency are a mixture of (a) events where the date, time and place are not of my choosing; (b) things I've slotted into the diary a few weeks beforehand because it looked like quite a clear day at the time; (c) last minute invites which I have to accept but am going to find it very difficult to get to; and (d) urgent things that have been squeezed in at the very last minute regardless of how they fit into the rest of the schedule. The result is often chaos - trying to get to the other side of the city in ten minutes flat, always running late...

But today was great. Four appointments in Old Market - all on foot, and I got to every single one of them on time - then a walk up the road to my surgery at the Old Bank, and then another short-ish walk to the office. (And then a bus home). First call was at WayAhead, the youth housing association, to be intereviewed for a book they're publishing to mark their 25th anniversary. Next was across the road at Barnardo's to discuss the BASE (Barnardo's Against Sexual Exploitation) project which works with young people at risk of being abused, pimped or groomed by adults; my involvement with this started when I was contacted by the mothers of two teenagers who'd been brought to Bristol by older men. Thankfully one has now returned home to her parents. We also had a chance to discuss the Government's child poverty pilots, and Bristol's chances of being chosen to run one. (Martin Narey, Barnardo's chief executive, chairs the End Child Poverty coalition).

Next stop was the Trinity Centre, to talk to arts administrators about their funding situation and future use of the centre. (Which is a great venue. I think I'm right in saying that New Order played there once; I was reading 'Confusion', the Bernard Sumner biography, over Christmas and I think it was mentioned it in there. Or was it Joy Division? Answers on a postcard please).


Then it was lunch at the Whole Baked Cafe (splendid place) with Paul Smith, Chief Exec of the Furniture Re-use Network. Paul knows absolutely everyone in Bristol's voluntary sector, the vast majority of whom seemed to be in the Whole Baked Cafe today. He's organising a national event - "the Big Womble" - in Wimbledon in the autumn, to promote re-use. It will include a national raffle of celebrity household goods; an auction on the day; and also local events run by local re-use organisations. The money raised will be used by the FRN to support its social and anti-poverty work. Paul is of course also the Labour candidate for the new Bristol West seat (which will include Old Market) at the next election. And he insists he's already got his hands on a Womble costume...